'Not in our DNA' – will 3v3 change the future of English football?

Changes have been implemented by the FA from this season with under-7s dropping from playing 5v5 to 3v3 in England – could it help to change the DNA of English football? Shortly after England's disappointing defeat by Argentina at this summer's World Cup, boss Thomas Tuchel offered his view on why the Three Lions are struggling to win major tournaments. "I think ball possession plays a crucial role," he said. "It's maybe not in our DNA like it is in the Spanish DNA or Argentinian or Brazilian DNA to take the ball, control the game and the ball, which is also a big problem." DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid), in scientific terms, usually refers to the master blueprint for life – the hereditary material in humans and almost all other organisms.

In football, the DNA of a team starts out at grassroots level, where young players are shaped and developed. This season, the Football Association (FA) has implemented a change in youth football that could well result in a change of the DNA of the English game. For a long time, it was considered normal for children of all ages to play 11 versus 11 matches on full-sized pitches, but in 1999 the FA introduced "mini-soccer" for under-10s. The idea was that the small-sided variation of association football would provide youngsters with